Breakfast Surprise
by Lemniscate35173
Summary: A young Sirius Black meets someone coming down for breakfast at Grimmuald Place.


**I don't own Harry Potter.**

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Sirius had both a wonderful and horrible childhood. Before he had gone to Hogwarts, he had thought he had a great childhood. When he was sorted into Gryffindor, and had started hearing the other boys' stories, he had been doubtful. Now, he understood that he had probably had a horrible childhood. One incident stood out in his mind.

Seven year-old Sirius Black walked down the stair dignifiedly. Mother had always told him that a Black had to be dignified at all times, no matter what or where the occasion was. Kreacher had woken him up at precisely seven o'clock in morning, the time that a proper pureblood woke up. Regulus was probably already awake. He was always an early riser.

Sirius walked by the picture of his grandmother. Mother had talked of getting her portrait done to replace it. Sirius thought that wasn't a good idea. Grandmother's portrait was always so quiet and polite. Sirius knew that Mother's portrait would be loud and assault guests with her opinions. He knew that Mother's opinions were worth being heard, but guests didn't need to have that sort of screaming in their faces immediately after entering the House of Black.

Sirius stepped off the staircase and made his way to the kitchen. He was engrossed in watching the paintings. A fight had broken out between Uncle Sirius (he still chuckled a little bit when he thought that) and Uncle Phineas. They were throwing all sorts of odd, nasty words at each other. Sirius wondered if Mother would have scolded them for their language if they were alive. He decided that she would have.

Sirius continued to watch the fight, still making his way to the kitchen. He would have been more careful if there were guests in the house, but he knew Mother and Father would never host guests before nine o'clock, and Reg and Mother and Father were all already at breakfast. So, he was surprised when he bumped into a woman.

She was ragged in appearance. He knew he would have never been allowed out of the house like that. Her hair was scraggly and unwashed. Her face was sunken in and her clothing, muggle clothing he noted, was ripped and dirty; there was even something that looked like blood on her skirt. She grabbed at his robe. His first impulse was to remove her hands, but some unseen force kept him from doing so. "Where is the door?" Her voice was dry, like she needed something to drink. She sounded like she was sobbing. "Where is the door?" She asked again, this time shaking him.

"I" Sirius said, unsure of what was going on, and scared that he didn't know. "I"

Father came down the hall. Sirius was frozen. "Kitty," Father said in a dark tone. He supposed it was supposed to be a greeting, but it sounded like a threat. "Please let go of Sirius and come over here at once."

The woman looked like she was as scared as Sirius felt. Slowly she let go of Sirius's robes and went over to Father, shooting him a pleading look as she did. Father turned toward him. "What did she do to you Sirius?" Father asked, less scary this time. It was as close to concern as Father got.

"She- she just asked me for directions." Sirius answered fearfully, "To the door," he added.

"Come along, Kitty," Father said as he put an arm around the woman, Kitty. She shrunk away from him. "I will show you to the door." The last word slipped silkily off Father's tongue. Father turned around, forcing Kitty to turn with him. He turned his head. "Kitty is a friend of your mothers, Sirius. She just a bit lost." Sirius nodded. Father and Kitty began to walk away. Soon enough, they disappeared. Sirius could have sworn he heard Father yelling once they turned the corner.

Sirius turned on his heel. He headed straight to the kitchen, and sat down in his chair as soon as he got there. He picked at the eggs on his plate, the silence at the breakfast table becoming unbearable. "I saw your friend Kitty, Mother." Sirius blurted out. Mother looked confused so he added, "She was asking for directions. I don't know why she would be though. Grimmauld Place isn't that large."

Mother nodded, understanding. "I'm certain Kitty was just confused, Sirius." Mother said lightly.

"Why was she all dirty, Mother?" Sirius asked.

"I'm sure she just didn't have time to change." Mother answered. "No more questions."

Sirius looked down at his strawberry scone and started eating. He knew better than to argue with Mother.

That was the day when his views on muggles first began to change. He had been curious, so he had learned all he could. That was the day that caused him to first see muggles as humans.

He found Kitty dead in the cellar when he was sixteen. That was the day he ran away.


End file.
